Smoke box for steam locomotives



April H5, 1941. o. JABELMANN ET AL &

SMOKE BQX FOR STEAM LOCOMOTIVES Filed April 17, 194-0 2 Sheets-Sheet l3nventors Cittornegs 2' Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 17, 1940 ZSnnentors(Ittornegs Patented Apr. 15, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SMOKE BOXFOR STEAM LOCOMOTIVES Otto Jabelmann and Leonard K. Botteron, Omaha,Nebr.

Application April 17, 1940, Serial No. 330,186

7 Claims. (Cl. 230-97) This invention relates to locomotives, andparticularly to front end arrangements for coal burning locomotives.

The problem of smoke box arrangements for coal burning steam locomotiveshas long been a troublesome one, because of the importance of arrestingburning cinders and the difficulty of doing so without impairing thedraft or causing the rapid accumulation of cinders in the smoke box, orboth.

In the past, recourse has been had to screen structures of a more orless complicated nature. These were objectionable, first, because theycan rarely be made self-cleaning, and, second, because they so obstructthe smoke box that inspection of the tube sheet and inspection of thesuperheater, if used, are difficult. Attempts have also been made toadapt centrifugal separator principles but the resulting devices haveunduly obstructed the smoke box.

The present invention provides a front end arrangement which has goneinto actual use and demonstrated successful operation. It is whollydevoid of screens. It is extremely simple to construct and can readilybe so proportioned that access for inspection and minor repairs may behad to all parts, and notably to the tube sheet, to the superheater, tothe lift pipe and to the exhaust nozzle, without removing any parts inthe smoke box. So far as applicants are aware,

no prior device of a practical nature has this im-- portant advantage.

Briefly stated, a diaphragm extends downward from the top of the smokebox immediately to the rear of the lift pipe and forward of the tubesheet.

If a superheater is used, space is afforded between the diaphragm andthe tube sheet for the superheater. The diaphragm does not extend to thebottom of the smoke box and its lower margin is approximately V-shaped.Extending forward from the forward face of the diaphragm is ahopper-like structure, whose flaring lateral walls or wings conform tothe contour of the lower margin of the diaphragm and meet the sides ofthe smoke box above the lower margin of the flaring lift pipe. Theforward end of the hopper-like structure is spaced from the smoke boxfront, and is closed by a plate whose upper margin is somewhat higherthan the upper margins of the lateral walls, but below the top of thesmoke box.

While this arrangement may be used with any type of exhaust nozzle, itdevelops its best effect with a multiple jet exhaust nozzle shown in thedrawings, and not specifically claimed in the present application exceptin combination with other front end features, because such multipleexhaust nozzle is of general utility and forms the subject matter ofanother application filed by us on May 14, 1940, Serial No. 335,184.

The parts are so dimensioned that a man can pass under the wings of thehopper structure and thus reach the forward tube sheet and superheater,and can climb into the hopper itself and thus reach the exhaust nozzleand lift pipe. The products of combustion leaving the forward end of theboiler tubes pass beneath the flaring sides of the hopper. At theforward end of the smoke box a sharp change of flow direction occurs, i,e., from horizontal forward to vertical upward flow. The effect is thatlarge cinders, because of their momentum, strike the front of the smokebox and are disintegrated. At the end of the upward excursion, theystrike the top of the smoke box with recurrence of the disintegratingaction. After this the products of combustion reverse direction of flowand pass obliquely downward and to the rear into the hopper structure.Here there is a further impact of cinders upon the plates. The productsof combustion and the disintegrated cinders are finally ejected throughthe lift pipe by the blast action of the exhaust nozzle. Because of theseveral impacts and the marked disintegration of the cinders, and thelong cooling path, the cinders are extinguished before they are blownfrom the stack,

Thus, with a structure very simple in form, the desired result ofextinguishing and disintegrating cinders is attained without the use ofscreens or so-called cinder-busters. i

An important feature of the invention is that the walls of the smoke boxitself, the front end door, and portions of the hopper structure formthe impact surfaces against which the cinders are projected. The deviceisself-cleaning because the form of the hopper is such as to feed anycinders, which may tend to accumulate, to the blast nozzle and thuscause their ultimate ejection.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described inconnection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical axial section through a smoke box and the forwardend of a locomotive boiler showing the invention applied.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of thehopper structure removed from thelocomotive and viewed from the forward right-hand side.

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig". 1.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the multiple-jet nozzle which was preferablyused with this device.

Fig. 5 is a section on the irregular line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

The forward end of the shell of the locomotive boiler is indicated at 6.The forward tube sheet appears at I. Into this sheet are expanded theusual flue tubes 8, and the larger flue tubes 9 which are designed toreceive the superheater tubes |I. Construction of the superheater is notshown in detail, but it will be understood that steam delivered from theboiler to the dry pipe I2 flows through the manifold I3 to thesuperheater tubes II and is then delivered through other passages inmanifold I3 to the two steam pipes l4 which, as usual, lead to the inletsteam ports in the cylinder castings.

The arrangement of the steam pipes I4 is well known, and subject tovariations familiar in the art. Hence, no detailed description appearsto be necessary. A portion of the cylinder structure is represented atI5 (Figure l) and includes the exhaust connection I6 on which anysuitable exhaust nozzle may be mounted.

Connected to the forward end of the shell 8 through the usual stiffenerring I! is the smoke box shell I8 which has a closed frontconventionally illustrated at I9.

The lift pipe 2| forms a unitary extension of the smoke stack 22 andprojects down approxi-- mately to the horizontal axis of the smoke box.As usual, it is flared at its lower end, the flare being indicated at23. The lift pipe 2| and smoke stack 22 are ax ally aligned with theexhaust connection I6, and with any exhaust noz :3

zle which would be mounted thereon.

In the drawings, there is shown mounted on the connection I6 acylindrical manifold chamber 24 which has a flange 25 at its upper end.

Seated against the upper end of the manifold 24 and bolted to the flange25 is a nozzle plate 26. This has a plurality of blast nozzles 27 (fourbeing indicated in the drawings), each nozzle being inserted through aport formed to receive it in the plate 26. These ports are flared attheir lower ends and the lower end of each nozzle 21 is correspondinglyflared to produce a smooth entrance of steam to the nozzle 2'! and thusavoid undesirable eddying.

Each nozzle 21 has an external positioning ,3

flange 28 and each nozzle is locked in place by a correspondinghold-down ring 29 which overlies the flange 28 and which is connected tothe plate 26 :by machine screws as shown. Thus, the

exhaust steam from the locomotive cylinders is products of combustioncan be said 'to flow directed by the four nozzles 21 into the flaringlower end 23 of the lift pipe 2| and performs the usual function ofstimulating the draft from the fire box through the flue tubes and smokebox to the stack 22. of nozzles evens the draft, permits the use of alarger stack than would otherwise be satisfactory, and has a number ofadvantages which are inherent in the multiple nozzle. These advantages,however, are of peculiar importance with reference to the labyrinthcinder-disrupting structure hereinafter described and the multiplenozzle is considered to cooperate with that labyrinth arrangement toproduce a new and better result.

At the rear of the stack 22 and lift pipe 23. and spaced from the tubesheet I to afford an interval for the superheater manifold I3 and thesuperheater tubes II, is a diaphragm 3|. This extends from the top ofthe smoke box about However, the use of a plurality three-fourths of theWay to the bottom thereof, and the lower margin of the diaphragmconforms to the flaring sides of the hopper structure hereinafterdescribed (see Fig. 3).

The hopper structure comprises two inclined side plates or wings 32which are connected at their rear ends to the lower flaring margin ofthe diaphragm 3| and which are notched as indicated at 33 for thepassage of the steam pipes I4. The upper margins 34 are fixed to thesides of the smoke box I8 slightly above mid-height of the smoke box anda substantial distance above the lower end of the flare 23 of the liftpipe 2|. The forward end of the hopper comprises a plate 35. The bottomof the hopper comprises a plate 36 with an opening 3?, the margin ofwhich enters between the flange 25 and an overlying portion of the plate26 (see Fig. 1), so that an approximately tight seal is formed betweenthe bottom 35 and the flange 25. Thus, the plate 35 is in effect a tableplate. The flange 25 sustains the rear portion of the table plate 35 andthe forward portion thereof may be sustained by two web struts 38 (seeFigs. 1 and 3). The web struts 38 may be omitted. Because of the ratherlarge diameter of the nozzle plate 26, it is sometimes desirable towiden the table plate 36 at the rear end and this result is accomplishedby the offsets generally indicated at 3! These offsets are not alwaysneeded and in some cases have been omitted.

The upper margin of the front plate 35 is horizontal, is above thejunctions 34 of the wings 32 with the smoke box and below the top of thesmoke box. In the embodiment shown,- front plate 35 terminates at apoint about two-thirds of the total height of the smoke box.

In effect, a flaring hopper is mounted in the smoke box projecting fromthe forward side of the diaphragm with its forward end spaced to therear of the smoke box front and forward of the flaring end of the liftpipe 2 I. The flaring wings or sides embrace the lower margin of thelift pipe. The exhaust blast nozzle discharges through the table plateforming the bottom of the hopper which latter cooperates with theexhaust nozzle and other associated parts to provide an open-topsubstantially imperforate hopper-like bafile structure.

Cinders and combustion gases discharged from the tubes 8 and 9 flowforward between the flaring wings 32 of the hopper and the opposed wallsof the smoke box. An inspection of Fig. 3 will indicate that only asmall portion of the strictly beneath the table plate 36 because ofobstruction offered by the manifold 24.

Thus, the products of combustion move forward rapidly and any largecinders entrained therewith strike the smoke box front I9 and aredisintegrated. After such disintegration they are carried up by therapid upward flow between the front 35 and the smoke box front I9 andimpinge against the top of the smoke box I8.

Thus, they are subjected to two pronounced disrupting impacts. Theproducts of combustion then flow to the rear and downward to reach theflaring lower end 23 of the lift pipe 2| through which the products ofcombustion and the entrained disrupted and extinguished cinders aredischarged by the jet action of the exhaust nozzles. Some of the cindersare subjected to a third disrupting impact against the wings 32 or thetable plate 36 before ejection. In any case, experience shows that thecinders are so thoroughly disrupted and are so cooled during their longtravel that they are extinguished before they leave the stack 22.

The device is self-cleaning because the flows are so rapid that thecinders are all picked up and carried along. Cinders cannot accumulateon the table plate 36 forward of the nozzle plate 26, because as soon asaccumulation starts, the cinders are drawn into the discharging currentand are ejected. Thus, the device is selfcleaning.

The intervals between the flaring side plates 32 and the opposed wallsof the smoke box I 8 are sufficiently large to permit a man to crawl tothe space at the rear of the smoke box without the removal of anyportion of the hopper. He can stand between the plate 35 and the frontof the smoke box and can climb over the front plate 35.

The small nozzles 4| connected to the cross ports 42 are fed by theblower steam connection 43 and are used to stimulate the draft when thelocomotive is standing. The ports 42 can be made by cross-drilling or bycoring, and are here shown plugged at their ends as indicated at 44.

The construction illustrated in the drawings is preferred and has beendescribed in considerable detail, in an effort to develop clearly itsuseful characteristics. However, the precise dimensions and arrangementare necessarily subject to modification to meet the requirements ofparticular locomotives. Considerable latitude in detail is obviouslypossible within the scope of the invention.

The flaring arrangement of the sides or Wings 32 is an important detail.Itaffords the necessary large area passages. The inclination of thewings causes them to direct precipitated cinders to a point at whichthey will enter the influence of the exhaust pipe and be picked up andejected. Space limitations in smoke boxes are severe, and the importanceof repeated changes of direction with attendant cinder impacts issubstantial. The provision of a device which is self-cleaning and whichavoids the use of screens and the numerous baffles heretofore considerednecessary is a matter of extreme practical importance because itimproves the draft and assures maintained efficient operation withoutfrequent inspection and cleaning operations.

What is claimed is:

1. The combination of a locomotive boiler having a shell with a fronttube sheet; a smoke box extending forward in prolongation of the shelland closed at its forward end; a stack and lift pipe structure extendingthrough the top of the smoke box and having an open entrance end withinthe same; a blast nozzle structure arranged in the bottom of the smokebox to direct exhaust blast upwardly into the entrance end of the liftpipe; and an open-top hopper-like baffle structure having upwardly andoutwardly flaring side plates extending to the sides of the smoke boxand a bottom connecting said side plates and through which the blastnozzle structure extends, there being a rear wall for said bafflestructure comprising a diaphragm plate extending downward from the topof the smoke box forward of said tube sheet and near the rear of saidlift pipe and terminating along and joined with the edges of said bottomand flaring side plates, and a front wall for said bafile structurecomprising a plate spaced from the front end of said smoke box and thefront of the lift pipe, its bottom and side edges connected with andtermi- Rio nating along the edges of said bottom and side plates, andits top edge located below the top of said smoke box to providecommunication between said open-top of the baffle structure and thesmoke box space forward of said front plate, said baffle structure andthe associated parts coacting to provide a substantially imperforatehopper-like baffle structure the open top of which is directed towardsaid open entrance of the lift pipe, whereby the products of combustion,including cinders, are compelled to travel forward- 1y into the lowerportion of said space forward of said front plate, upwardly in front ofsaid baffle structure, downwardly into said structure, and then upwardlyinto the lift pipe, during which travel the cinders are subjected todisintegrating impacts against the front and top of the smoke box.

2. The combination with a locomotive type boiler and smoke box includinga stack with lift pipe and exhaust nozzle directed upwardly toward thelift pipe from the bottom of the smoke box; of a bottom table platethrough which said nozzle discharges, said plate being spaced above thebottom of the smoke box and terminating short of each side and each endof the smoke box; inclined wing extensions projecting upward and ou ardfrom said table plate to the sides of the smoke box; a diaphragmextending downward from the top of the smoke box at the rear of the liftpipe, said diaphragm terminating in lines of junction with said tableplate and wings at the rear ends thereof; and a baffle located at theforward end of the table plate and wings and spaced from the front endof the smoke box, said baflle closing the interval between the wingsabove the table plate and terminating at its top edge below the top ofthe smoke box, the table plate, wings, diaphragm and front baffle andthe associated parts coacting to provide a substantially imperforateopen-top hopper-like baifle structure the open top of which is directedtoward the lower end of the lift pipe and communicates above the frontbaffle with the smoke box space forward of said baffle, whereby theproducts of combustion, including cinders, are compelled to travelforwardly beneath the hopper-like baffie structure, upwardly in front ofsaid bafile structure, rearwardly into said structure, and then upwardlyinto the lift pipe, during which travel the cinders are subjected todisintegrating impacts against the front and top of the smoke box.

3. The combination with a locomotive type boiler and smoke box includinga stack with depending lift pipe and exhaust nozzle directed upwardlytoward the lift pipe from the bottom of the smoke box; of a bottom tableplate through which said nozzle discharges, said plate being spacedabove the bottom of the smoke box and terminating short of each side andeach end of the smoke box; inclined wing extensions projecting upwardand outward from said table plate to the sides of the smoke box andjoined with the sides of the smoke box along lines above the lower endof the lift pipe; a diaphragm extending downward from the top of thesmoke box at the rear of the lift pipe, said diaphragm terminating inlines of junction with said table plate and wings at the rear endsthereof; and a substantially vertical baffle located at the forward endof the table plate and Wings and spaced from the front end of the smokebox and the front of the lift pipe, said baffle closing the intervalbetween the wings above the table plate and terminating at its top edgebelow the top of the smoke box, the table plate, wings, diaphragm andfront baffle and the associated parts coacting to provide asubstantially imperforate open-top hopper-like bafiie structure the opentop of which is directed toward the lower end of the lift pipe andcommunicates above the front baffle with the smoke box space forward ofsaid baffle, whereby the products of combustion, including cinders, arecompelled to travel forwardly beneath the hopper-like bafiie structure,upwardly in front of said baille structure, rearwardly and downwardlyinto said structure, and then upwardly into the lift pipe, during whichtravel the cinders are subjected to successive disintegrating impactsagainst the front and top of the smoke box.

4. The combination with a locomotive type boiler and smoke box includinga stack with depending lift pipe and exhaust nozzle directed upwardlytoward the lift pipe from the bottom of the smoke box; of asubstantially horizontal bottom table plate through which said, nozzleeztends, said plate being spaced above the bottom of the smoke box andterminating short of each side and each end of the smoke box; inclinedwing extensions projecting upward and outward from said table plate tothe sides of the smoke box and joined with the sides of the smoke boxalong lines above the lower end of the lift pipe; a diaphragm extendingdownward from the top of the smoke box at the rear of the lift pipe,said diaphragm terminating in lines of junction with said table plateand wings at the rear ends thereof and a substantially vertical bafilelocated at the forward end of the table plate and wings and spaced fromthe front end of the smoke box and the front of the lift pipe, saidbafiie closing the interval between the wings above the table plate andterminating at its top below the top edge of the smoke box and above thejunction of the wings with the sides of the smoke box, the table plate,wings, diaphragm and front baffle and the associated parts coacting toprovide a substantially imperforate open-top hopper-like bafflestructure the open top of which is directed toward and surrounds thelower entrance end of the lift pipe and communicates above the frontbaffle with the smoke box space forward of said baille, whereby theproducts of combustion, including cinders, are compelled to travelforwardly beneath the hopper-like baiile structure, upwardly in front ofsaid baffle structure, rearwardly and downwardly into said structure,and then upwardly into the lift pipe, during which travel the cindersare subjected to-successive disintegrating impacts against the front andtop of the smoke box and the interior of the baffle structure.

5. The combination defined in claim 2 in which the exhaust nozzlecomprises a manifold having a diameter approximating the width of thebottom table plate and a plurality of discharge nozzles arranged on andleading from the manifold and directed upwardly toward the lower end ofsaid lift pipe.

6. The combination defined in claim 2 in which the exhaust nozzlecomprises a manifold having a diameter approximating the width of thebottom table plate and a plurality of discharge nozzles arranged on andleading from the manifold and directed upwardly toward the lower end ofsaid lift pipe, and the lift pipe terminates at its lower depending endin a downwardly flaring entrance which is located below the top edge ofthe front baffle and is wider than said table plate but substantiallynarrower than the interval between said wings at the level of saidflaring end.

7. The combination with a locomotive smoke box structure comprising acylindrical smoke box proper, closed at its front end and forming aprolongation of a locomotive boiler having a tube sheet; of a lift pipeand stack at the top of the smoke box; a blast nozzle directed upwardlyfrom the bottom of the smoke box in alignment with the lift pipe; adiaphragm extending across the upper part of the smoke box between liftpipe and tube sheet, and having an approximately V-shaped lower margin;flaring side plates having means connecting the lower margins of theside plates and through which said nozzle projects, said platesconforming to and being connected with the lower margin of saiddiaphragm and terminating short of the front end of the smoke box; and afront baffle conforming to and connected with the front ends of saidside plates and having an upper margin below the top of said smoke box,said front bafile being spaced from the front of the lift pipe and thefront end of the smoke box, the front bailie, diaphragm, side plates andtheir connecting means and the associated parts coacting to provide asubstantially imperforate open-top hopper-like bafile structure the opentop of which is directed toward the lower end of the lift pipe andcommunicates above the front bafile with the smoke box space forward ofsaid baffle, whereby the products of combustion, including cinders, arecaused to travel forwardly into the lower portion of said space forwardof said front bafile, upwardly in front of said bafile structure,rearwardly and downwardly into said structure, and then upwardly intothe lift pipe, during which travel the cinders are subjected todisintegrating impacts against the front and top of the smoke box.

OTTO JABELMANN. LEONARD K. BOT'I'ERON.

